Murderer who said victim’s injuries were from sex is jailed for life

Killer, 50, who brutally beat girlfriend to death then told police her horrific injuries were really ‘carpet burns’ from sex is jailed for life for murder

  • Simon Winstone, 50, killed girlfriend Michelle Denise Rosser, 38, in May last year 
  • Neighbours heard Winstone shouting ‘she’s gone, she’s gone’ in the early hours  
  • But he denied murder and blamed the injuries on friction burns from having sex 
  • He was jailed for life with a minimum of 18 years until he can apply for parole 

Simon Winstone, pictured arriving at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court, was jailed for life for murdering Michelle Denise Rosser

A killer who claimed his girlfriend’s injuries were caused by the pair having sex on the carpet before she was murdered has been jailed for life.

Michelle Denise Rosser, 38, was found dead from multiple injuries in the bedroom of her home.

Her boyfriend Simon Winstone, 50, denied murder – and told police that cuts to her face were ‘friction burns’ from having sex on a carpet the night before.

Miss Rosser – known as Denise – was found dead in her home having sustained ‘multiple catastrophic injuries’ to her head and torso.

She also sustained injuries to her head, chest and stomach leading to a ruptured kidney and 28 rib fractures.

Winstone claimed she either fell down the stairs or was beaten to death by someone else – despite admitting he was asleep in the same room. 

The jury heard Winstone told police: ‘Last time I saw her, she was alive and awake.’

But Winstone was convicted on Tuesday, 4th December, 2018, and today was sentenced to life with a minimum of 18 years before he can be considered for parole. 

It came after evidence from a pathologist showed that Miss Rosser’s injuries were consistent with being beaten.  

DCI Stuart Wales, who led the investigation, said: ‘Simon Winstone was convicted on Tuesday for the murder of Michelle Denise Rosser.

Miss Rosser (pictured), 38, lost the sight of her right eye in a hammer attack three years before she met Winstone 

‘Today at Merthyr Crown Court he was sentenced to life in prison and will serve a minimum of 18 years before being considered for parole.

‘As was heard in court, Denise suffered unimaginable cruelty at the hands of Winstone, who would assault her behind closed doors and even in public.

‘The horrific injuries inflicted upon Denise are among the worst that I and my colleagues have encountered.

‘Since his arrest, Winstone has shown no remorse and continues to have a complete disregard for Denise’s family whose lives have been devastated by their loved one’s murder.


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‘The bravery and the dignity that her family have displayed throughout this difficult process has been truly humbling and I hope today’s outcome will enable them to somehow re-build their lives.

‘I would like to thank everybody who played their part in this prosecution, particularly those members of the Bedlinog community who attended court to give evidence – they have helped to get justice for Denise and her family by ensuring that Simon Winstone pays for his abhorrent actions with his freedom.

‘Denise was murdered in cold blood in her own home and the suffering that she endured fills everybody touched by her tragic death with great sadness.

‘South Wales Police encourage people who suffer or suspect domestic violence to come forward. They should never be afraid as support can be provided to change their lives for the better.’

Misss Rosser, pictured in her younger years, was found dead at the couple’s home in the village of Bedlinog, near Merthyr Tydfil

Michael Jones, prosecuting, previously told the court: ‘When asked to explain Miss Rosser’s facial injuries, Winstone said: ‘They were friction burns from the carpet when we were having sex last night.’

Mr Jones said the pair had endured a ‘turbulent’ and ‘volatile’ relationship. He said: ‘Miss Rosser often has black eyes and swollen lips and she always made up excuses – such as falling down the stairs or tripping over the dog.’

Merthyr Crown Court heard that neighbours had overheard arguing coming from their house in Bedlinog, near Merthyr Tydfil the day before Miss Rosser’s death.

Mr Jones said: ‘A neighbour saw Miss Rosser and Winstone at the front door arguing and swearing at each other.’

Winstone is then said to have slammed the door on his partner, locking her out of her own home.

When she returned later in the day, the pair allegedly had another bust up. The court previosuly heard Winstone pushed her so hard that she fell into a bin outside the house before shutting the door again.

Neighbours later heard Miss Rosser ‘screaming and yelling’ in the house.

‘At 10 o’clock, the neighbour noticed she couldn’t hear anything coming from the house,’ said Mr Jones. ‘Usually when they argued, they would go all night.’

Another neighbour was woken early in the morning the next day by Winstone shouting ‘she’s gone, she’s gone’.

When police arrived at the scene he denied murdering Miss Rosser saying: ‘I woke up and she was at the bottom of the stairs. I did try and shake her but there was no response. She was blue in the face.’

At a later police interview Winstone continued to deny the murder.

He claimed that someone else came in and beat Miss Rosser to death as he slept on a sofa in the same room in May last year.

Winstone added: ‘The front door had not been locked and the lock has been removed.’

Miss Rosser had previously survived a brutal hammer attack by three men that had left her blind in her right eye nine years before her murder.

Winstone, of Merthyr Tydfil, denied murder but was found guilty at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court after a two-week trial.

 

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